Summary:
"Does one need four fully grown foxgloves for decorating a dinner table for six guests? Or is it six foxgloves to kill four fully grown guests?
Sophronia's first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing! For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy (won't Mumsy be surprised?). Furthermore, Sophronia got mixed up in an intrigue over a stolen device and had a cheese pie thrown at her in a most horrid display of poor manners.
Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers' quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ship's boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a school trip to London than is apparent at first. A conspiracy is afoot--one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans. Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot-and survive the London Season with a full dance card.
In this sequel to bestselling author Gail Carriger's YA debut Etiquette & Espionage, class is back in session with more petticoats and poison, tea trays and treason. Gail's distinctive voice, signature humor, and lush steampunk setting are sure to be the height of fashion this season."
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Carriger's story for Curtsies & Conspiracies was great, because I got to immerse myself in that world and I got to know it a lot better and understand it, the way I had wanted to in Book 1. Here we see Sophronia expand her spying horizons and also really begin to understand the world she has herself has entered. That it isn't just for fun, that it is life and death and that there are complicated matters at hand and she starts to begin to question if this is what she really wants.
Can we PLEASE just talk about Lord Mersey?! Because I love him. He is the perfectly safe bad boy or so he appears to be and the chemistry between him and Sophronia is sizzling hot.
Also, WHY wasn't there more Captain Niall?! Although, Lord Mersey is more age appropriate for Sophronia, I still ship them together and find him absolutely delectable. Which is why I beg the question.. why wasn't he in the book more?!
I acknowledged Sophronia's growing up in the plot summary, or coming to terms with growing up. However, I enjoyed seeing the other girls grow-up too, We get a better sense of themselves in this book and how their lives may play out for them.
Then there is Soap. The cheeky sootie, who is also being added into the love mix for Sophronia. I am not buying it or liking it one single bit. I do believe their is more to his story and I cannot find to see what it is.. but I am just not buying that coupling.
Oh and Bumbersnoot, my favorite character who isn't a character at all. Really, I adore him.
Really impressed. I liked Etiquette & Espionage, but Curtsies & Conspiracies was really going to determine whether or not I would continue with the series or not and Carriger delivered! I would say 95% of the book is full throttle awesome-ness. We really get a feel for life at the school, as well as the world they are in. I loved the mystery & romance of the plot. The only thing that irked me, is something Carriger did in her writing previously and something, that in general bothers me in writing a story. That is right, the quick wrap up. When you are absorbed in the book and its story and there are a lot of answers to be well, answered... BUT there are only 10 pages left! So, in a quick manner almost everything is answered in those 10 pages and on to the next. Leaving your head spinning and a tad disappointed. So, that is something I wish didn't happen.. but really when I finished Curtsies & Conspiracies, I wanted Book 3 in my hand IMMEDIATELY.
